The Unknown Unwanted Danger: Part One
by qopu999
Summary: A dark night, a strange shadow comes into Halloween Town. As soon as the unknown creature enters, the trouble arouses quickly and Jack has to do anything in his powers to put things right. (A special thanks to Svinorita for the ideas to this story)
1. Chapter One: The Shadow In The Moon

**_Chapter One: The Shadow In The Moon_**

_Have you wondered what happened after the brave Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington defeated the vicious, cruel boogie man Oogie Boogie?_

_While it was snowing, and everybody in Halloween Town were fascinated by the wonderful, white, cold snowflakes that gingerly made its way down to the ground, nobody noticed a dark, unwelcoming shadow carefully made its way up the hills and further towards the lonely graveyards…._

_Six Months Later…_

Jack Skellington sat down in his office, trying to think about what to do next Halloween, when he heard a loud THUMP!

Who was that?!

Walking to the door, he saw a letter hidden in a tiny box. Curiously, he opened the letter that was directed to him and began to read:

_"Dear Jack Skellington. I am trapped and tortured by the evil monsters of Neitherwille._

_PLEASE come help me._

_Your love_

_Sally"_

Jack stood by the door, feeling completely stunned. Was Sally in danger? Wait, there was something that wasn't right. He looked at the handwriting and didn't recognize it at all. It was by no means his beloved wife who had written this.

Then it came to him, someone wanted to trick him! But who?

"Can't be Lock, Shock and Barrel. They can't write like this. I've seen their handwriting before, so it can hardly be them." Jack concluded silently to himself.

Suddenly, his beloved ghost dog Zero flew to him while barking happily. The skeleton man smiled back and patted the dog on its head.

"Well, well. Looks like someone wants to go on a stroll." he said. Zero barked again.

As he began to walk, he saw the Mayor of Halloween town coming walking to him in full speed.

"What's the matter, Mayor?" Jack asked.

"Oh, nothing, Jack. I just wanted to say congratulations for defeating that cruel Oogie Boogie. You sure did us all a great favor." he said, turning his face to the happy side.

"Why thank you. Have you seen something strange today?" Jack asked after a pause.

"Uh, no. Why?"

"I dunno. It just feels strange somehow."

"Uh...You do?" the Mayor asked, feeling as uncomfortable as Jack himself. Seeing this, Jack gave his friend a warm, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I'll just go and check that everything's in order. But right now, I must have a walk with my little Zero here. See you soon, Mayor!" The Pumpkin King said as he headed away, waving to the smiling Mayor who had turned his head again to the happy side.

"We do! Have a nice day!" he called over to Jack, unknowing that he was watched by a dark, unfamiliar shadow in the woods.

_"Hmmm...Nice day, you said. We'll see about that."_ the shadow whispered, in its dark, creepy, hoarse whisper. Then, the unknown creature noticed a tiny devil, who was walking in the Graveyards. A perfect victim to harm.

_"Hehehee! Just wait and see!"_

**_……………………………………………………………………………….._**

_Sally looked out of the window. Now when she and Jack were married, she lived in his house, instead of being locked up by Doctor Finkelstein. She smiled as she saw her husband playing fetch with his little pet. They seemed to be happy, and that also made her happy.__After about five minutes of looking, she returned to her chores and began to sew on her new dress for the next Halloween._

_Three hours later…_

Jack was walking with Zero through the Graveyards, which was the last place to visit before they went home.

Suddenly, the skeleton man could hear someone crying softly behind one of the tombstones. Curiously, Jack took a step forward to investigate.

To his horror and surprise, he found no other than the little prankster Lock who was lying on the ground, shaking violently and the tears rolled down his cheeks.

Jack Skellington carefully put a bony hand on the devil boy's shoulder in an effort to gain his attention. When he felt the boy's arm, he was so hot to the touch that Jack almost thought he was close to burn up. Upon feeling Jack's hand, Lock began to kick his legs harshly and let out a small whimper of fear.

Unfortunately, he had no success in gaining Lock's attention, since the tiny devil began to talk incoherently and began to breathe faster.

"Lock, it's just me." Jack said softly. Lock stared up at him through his glassy eyes and whined a little. Jack realized that the devil must be delirious, and now his incoherent talk made some sense to his unusual behavior.

Zero, however, wasn't very fond of Oogie Boogie's former henchmen. But seeing the little Trick-or-treater being in such pain was a bit too much.

Jack felt that he needed to go home, but he couldn't just leave the poor boy alone, so without a second thought, he tried pick up the sobbing devil, but then Lock became frantic and trashed around in his arms. Jack saw the little devil sinking its teeth into his finger, but the Pumpkin King couldn't feel any pain from that at all.

Jack started to gently rock the little devil as he began to sing:

_"Do not be afraid little buddy. I am the Pumpkin King and I am not afraid of anybody. I will keep you safe from harm, so hush! Be still and calm..."_

When Lock heard the gentle tunes the skeleton man sang, he fell asleep in Jack's arms. Jack smiled at him and began to walk home with Zero following closely from behind.

_Sooner at home..._

When Jack came home with the crying devil, Sally became horrified as she saw Lock in this poor state, but quickly came to action and took the boy from her husband's arms, and gave the little one a bath in tepid water to cool him off.

After it was done, she took the devil out of the bathtub, put new clothes on him and put him in her bed. Shortly after, she came into his room and put a damp cloth on his forehead to keep the fever down.

_A few moments later…_

Wendie, one of the Town's witches, made her way towards Jack Skellington's house to ask him to investigate and help her find the reason why her broom disappears from the closet every time she needs it.

When she entered the Skellington manor, she heard a loud heart wrenching scream upstairs the upper part of the house. She ran up the stairs to see where the scream came from and saw Sally leaning over a little creature in the bed, who was sobbing. The ragdoll gently stroke the small devil's forehead to calm him down.

Wendie ask what had happened to Lock, to which Sally explained to her how Jack found Lock sick and alone in the Graveyard, and that she and Jack were trying to help him get better. They even got Doctor Finkelstein to give Lock a check-up since he is the best (and only) doctor in Halloween Town. The Doctor could not find anything physically wrong with Lock.

"We honestly don't know what to do anymore! We have tried everything! Physically, he is improving. But it looks like the poor little thing is losing his mind..." Sally said sympathetically.

"You are absolutely right, my dear! I don't think any doctor could help with this problem. But if you would like, maybe I could try to find out what is bothering the poor little devil. I am a witch after all!" Wendie answered as she nodded understandingly.

"Of course! Jack and I would be very grateful if you could get to the bottom of this nightmare!"

The witch then pulled out a stack of tarot cards and gives Lock a reading:

"This is a most unfortunate and terrible thing! Poor Lock has gotten a spell cast on him by a very evil demon. Her name is Nera and she wanders through realms where she collects the souls of the young and innocent."

All of a sudden, they heard yelling from the doorway.

"How do I find this evil demon?! I will crush _HER_ soul!" Jack demanded.

"It is not so easy Jack. Two wrongs do not make a right. If you would allow me, I can cast a protection spell around Lock and your home. We will defeat this evil with love, laughter and singing! Because this demon, Nera thrives on misery, hate and insecurity." Wendie explained to him.

"Excellent. I give you my permission to cast a protection spell around Lock and my home. Now, we have to find out how to find Nera and destroy her." Jack said.

"We sure do." Wendie said as she cast the spell to protect Lock and the others in Jack's house.

_And then, they went off in search of Nera, the demon of fright…._


	2. Chapter Two: The Familiar Visitor

**_Chapter Two: The Familiar Visitor_**

Lock looked out of the window. Never ever in his life, he had been feeling so scared and worried as he did now. Where were his friends? Had Nera taken them too? Were they dead?

"I miss my friends." the little devil sniffled, feeling new teardrops rolling down his cheeks again.

Then, without warning, Sally came into the room, holding a cup of chamomile tea and lavender muffins. At first Lock became startled by her sudden appearance out of nowhere, but let out a silent sigh of relief as he realized it was just her and not the demon of fright.

The ragdoll gently put the cup and the plate where the muffins were on onto the bedside table next to her bed where Lock was lying into.

Seeing that he was sad again, she sighed softly and sat down on a chair next to the bed. Sally gave him the sweetest smile she could.

"Did you have another nightmare, Lock?" she asked gently. The little devil nodded and shrugged. His eyes focused on the wall.

"What happened?" the ragdoll asked sweetly, placing a gentle hand on the tiny devil's back. Lock swallowed a painful lump in his throat, and his eyes were so watery that he almost couldn't see anything clearly.

"They...they died." Lock cried, hiding his face in his hands. Sally rubbed his back softly, before asking:

"Your friends?"

Lock nodded and cried harder. Smiling gently, Sally picked him up and placed him on her lap, and rocked him gently back and forth as he shed more tears.

"They are alive. It's alright, Lock. We're here with you." she whispered quietly. The devil glanced up at her.

"Are they?"

"Of course they are."

_Ding, dong!_

The doorbell rang. Lock took a deep breath, but Sally gave him a reassuring smile and put him into the bed.

"I'll be back soon. I will go see who it is." she told him.

A few minutes later, Sally came back again. The little boy saw her smiling very happily for some reason.

"Here he is." she told the person, who walked in, who was no other than…

"Anna Goodwille?" Lock asked. Anna smiled at him.

"Glad to see you again." she said as she sat next to the devil on the bed. The ragdoll gently closed the door behind when she left, knowing that Lock wanted some time with her alone.

"Is it really you?" he asked. The half seagodess nodded.

"Of course. Why don't you think it's me?" Anna asked, smiling.

" 'Cause, there was a… demon who… made me feel this way.." the devil replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. Anna Goodwille nodded understandingly.

"Oh, I see. I can assure you it's really me. I'm not that demon, who did that cruel thing to you." Anna reassured him. Then, she picked up a small story book about stories for traveling sailors she carried with her when she was on the sea.

"See this? It's a story book. Do you want me to read a story from it?" asked Anna. Lock grinned widely, and curled up in her embrace. Then she began to read the story of the little stowaway and the seaserpent. Lock smiled all the time as he listened to the story, and Anna Goodwille's beautiful, soothing voice which was as soft as the light clouds on a lovely summer day.

After about a half an hour, Sally carefully sneaked into the room to make sure everything was fine, and she felt her heart melt as she saw the seagodess holding the now sleeping little devil while gingerly swaying from side to side. Anna grinned down at him and wrapped the blanket around him and sat in the chair, still holding the little boy in her arms.

Zero, who had the mission to make sure Lock was safe, laid on the bed, sleeping peacefully and snored a little now and then. Sitting next to the bed, Sally whispered to her friend:

"How is he now?"

"Out like a light." Anna whispered back. "Is it alright with you if you stay with him while I go after Jack? I think I can help."

"Of course, Anna. We need all help as possible, Nera is very powerful, but I think you'll defeat her, I have faith in you all. And please promise to be careful." Sally whispered. Anna Goodwille II nodded.

"You have my word." she said before she left, but stopped when she remembered one thing.

"Oh, one more thing. If Lock wakes up, please tell him I'll be back. He'll be so sad if he thinks I am gone."

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell him as soon as he wakes up. I'm sure he will understand." the ragdoll whispered kindly. The Pirate Queen gave her a thumbs-up and carefully closed the door behind her.

_Three hours later…_

Lock woke up. The first thing he saw was that Anna was gone. He felt panicked. Where was she now? Had she returned home?

He then noticed Sally sitting on the edge of his bed. She told him that Anna Goodwille II was just gone for a while, but she would return as soon as she and Jack and Wendie had defeated Nera.

"So, they would come back after Nera's dead?" Lock asked.

Sally nodded and rubbed his back in a soothing motion.

Finally, after awhile, the little devil slept in a peaceful sleep, and only stirred a few times. Sally, however, watched over him, in case he needed her. And Zero, Jack's trusty ghost dog, watched Lock and Sally to make sure they were okay.

_Then, Sally and Zero began to fall asleep as well, but that would prove to be a great mistake..._


	3. ChapterThree:TheStrangeCall Of The Demon

**_Chapter_ Three: The Strange Call Of The Demon **

"Did you see anything?" Jack asked, as he climbed over a fallen tree. Wendie shook her head.

"We have to be patient. The Demon will not show up so easy." she explained.

Then, a cracking sound was heard, and a human with pirate clothes stepped forward. It was the mighty Captain Anna Goodwille II!

"Captain Anna Goodwille! What brings you here in these deep, dark woods?" Wendie asked.

"I'm just investigating… Haha! Just kidding. I am looking for the wicked Demon who caused all the fright and pain in Halloween Town." Anna Goodwille said. Jack glanced worriedly.

"How many died?"

"No one, I guess. The most of them seemed only to be gloomy, nothing more." Anna said thoughtfully. "Maybe except for Lock, who was very sick, and out of his mind."

"Is he worse?" the witch wondered.

"I dunno, I'm afraid. He seemed quite ill when I saw him." Anna replied solemnly, but still kept her voice calm as usual.

"How come you're not scared of being in these creepy woods?" asked a tiny voice from a little girl in a short, dark pink dress and was wearing a witch hat.

"Shock?" Anna asked in surprise. Just then, Barrel stepped forward. "Barrel, what are you doing here?"

"We had to find you." Shock began.

"Cause, Lock's gone." Barrel filled in.

"And we have to stick with you now, cause it's way too long to go back to Halloween Town." Shock said.

"What? Is Lock gone?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Yeah, Sally couldn't find him either." Barrel replied.

"Hey, how come you're not afraid?" Shock asked again.

"Simple. I was born without fear. I have never felt fear in my whole life, and I won't be able to do that now either. I was born to be brave, I dunno how anyone feels when its scared." Anna explained calmly.

"But how?" Barrel inquired.

" I dunno, really. It is just that way. I can't explain why, sorry." the pirate queen replied softly.

"Oh, can we hang around with you until we find Lock?" Barrel said.

"Of course, but what happened when he got lost?" Wendie asked.

"We'll tell you." Shock and Barrel said.

_Some hours ago…_

_It was midnight. The bats were squealing and flew everywhere around in the town. The Mayor looked out of his window. Tonight was not going to be a very good night, it was going to be terrible, a real nightmare. But he couldn't tell why, he just felt it inside._

_Inside Jack Skellington and Sally's house, Sally sat down on her chair, mending her old dresses on her sewing machine as Lock slept in the bed._

_In all of a sudden, the little devil began to trash in the bed, his eyes were open, but unfocused and bloodshot._

_"No! I don't want to go with you! Leave me alone! Jack! Jack! Where are you? Help me! She's coming to get me!" he shouted._

_Sally was by Lock's side in a flash and she placed a hand gently on the terrified devil's shoulder to reassure him._

_"Hush now, little one. You are safe here. You know me! It's Sally! Jack will be back soon. No one is going to take you away." she soothed._

_Some moments later, Sally could hear sounds of pebbles being thrown against the window. She felt a little scared, but she didn't want to scare him further and walked over to the window, only to see it was just Shock and Barrel who were coming to see their old friend._

_She opened the door and said kindly:_

_"Come in, he's is here upstairs." Sally smiled._

_The two Trick-or-treaters followed her up stairs until they came to a bed with a little devil._

_Upon seeing Shock and Barrel, their poor friend seemed to look possessed and crazed when they approached him. This made Barrel a little scared, so he hid behind Shock's back._

_"Hi Lock! It's me, Barrel! I've missed you..." He offered Lock some candy and added:_

_"Look! I'll let you have some of my candy. It always makes me feel better! I'm sure it will make you feel great too!"_

_Barrel offered a lollipop to Lock who stared at it in alarm. He knocked it out of Barrel's hand and sent it flying across the room. Barrel cried out in surprise as he went to retrieve his lollipop. Then he hid behind Sally's back this time._

_Shock folded her arms over her chest and sneered meanly,_

_"Ha! I knew it! Some things never change! I see that Lock is still as nasty as ever!"_

_"Come on now, lazy bones!" Shock said again, but with a much kinder tone in her voice. "The Treehouse feels so lonely without you and your swishy tail around! And look here..." She pulled out Lock's plunger from behind her back and handed it over to him._

_Lock growled angrily at her and threw the plunger back at Shock, knocking her pointy witch's hat right off her head with it. Shock did not expect this reaction and she joined Barrel in hiding behind Sally's back in fear._

_Sally turned and gathered both frightened children in a reassuring hug.__"Lock is very sick, but it is not his fault. He does not recognize either of you in his current condition." she told them._

_She explained how Nera, the evil shape shifting demon made Lock so unwell with her wicked spell._ _She suggested that it might be best for them both if they go stay with Wendie, who would protect them with her spells and keep them safe, until Jack could find a way to destroy her evil and banish her from Halloween Town for good!_

_After Shock and Barrel left, Lock began to slowly remember they were important to him somehow, but he couldn't remember when or how._

_He broke down and leaned his head in his arms._

_"I wanna die! I don't know who I am anymore!" he wailed. "I don't even remember the ones who are important to me!"_

_Sally pulled the little devil in a tight hug._

_"Don't worry, little one. Me and Jack will always love and take care of you." she told him tenderly._

_A few hours later, a shadow appeared at the window. Sally, Lock and Zero slept deeply and barely noticed that the window opened up and the demon picked up the tiny devil and closed the window after she left._

_At the same time…_

_Shock and Barrel sat in their tree house. It was really boring without their friend._

_"I miss Lock." Barrel whispered._

_"Me too, but he couldn't remember us." Shock said, still feeling startled by Lock's new behavior._

_Suddenly, they noticed a weird ghost carrying their cohort who was in a very deep sleep._

_"She's taking him away! We have to go after." Shock said._

_"But isn't it better to stay here?" Barrel asked._

_"Oh come on! Aren't we his friends?" the witch snapped._

_"Uh yeah.."_

_"Then come on! Three of a kind." Shock said and smiled_

_"Birds of a feather." Barrel replied, smiling as well._

_"Now and forever!" they called in unison._

_Then, they went off..._


	4. Chapter Four:SpellsAnd Cruel Punishments

**_Chapter Four: Spells And Cruel Punishment _**

In Neitherwille, it had now began to snow. It was by now ways as beautiful and fascinating as it was in Halloween Town or Christmas Town. The snowflakes was filled with sharp ice and in the wind, the screams of poor, innocent souls could be heard.

Inside a huge, rotten stony castle, the almighty Demon Nera ruled and lived. She was never in a good mood and often punished her slaves cruelly if they did the smallest mistake.

There, in the hall of death, in the skeleton throne, she sat and gave her wicked orders while watching the other realms in her giant spyglass.

With a snap of her fingers, the ports went open, and in stepped a tiny, pathetic looking creature. The former resident of Halloween Town, the little devil, now covered in sloppy, poor, dirty rags limped all the way until he came to her throne.

Upon seeing her, he reluctantly bowed before his new boss.

"Now you've learnt your manners." Nera snorted.

"Y-yes, my queen." Lock stammered.

"What?!" she snapped, outraged.

"Yes, Queen of fright." the devil whispered.

The demon glared at him.

"Did you see any new souls to collect?" she asked.

"No." he lied. She knew he was lying. He could feel it. Unfortunately, he had taken the last string of her nerves. With sparkling red-green eyes, she stepped up and grabbed the shivering devil by the arm and led him into her cell of punishment and closed the door behind her with a boom…

_At the same time…_

"Are we there yet?" Barrel asked sleepily.

"Soon. Soon, my friend." Anna Goodwille said as she walked through the snow-covered woods.

"Uh, Anna. Where are we?" Shock asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"We're in Snow World to be exact." the half-seagoddes replied. "We have three realms to pass through before we come to Neitherwille in Demon Soulrobbers' Town."

"Anna! I am tired! I don't think I can walk anymore!" Barrel complained. The Pirate Queen turned around and smiled as picked up the little witch and the ghoul.

"Why walk when you can fly?" Anna asked softly as she began to fly up in the sky, carrying the two children in steady grip so they wouldn't fall down.

"Another ability of mine."

"Wow! Cool!" Shock shouted.

"Yeah! Super cool!" Barrel agreed.

Anna Goodwille II grinned and continued to sail through the air in a slow motion to not scare her two companions.

"Faster! Faster, Annie!" Shock laughed.

"Very well then." Anna sneered, and flew faster. The kids cheered and laughed even more.

_Unfortunately, everybody didn't have the same kind of luck…_

_Deep inside the dark castle, deep, deep into the prison cells, sat a now shivering, mad laughing creature in a poor cell, barren and rotten and a bit fallen._

_The little devil laughed madly as his eyes glazed over. After the punishment, he felt more and more insane than before._

_He couldn't remember much, except for the evil eyes … and the whip… the cries in pain… his own cries of pain. And the laugh… The rude, vicious scoff he ever heard._

_And now, everything went black. Everything was cold. Everything was dark._

_And then, he wasn't able to feel anything. He didn't hear anything. He didn't see anything… anymore. Everything was hollow. And lonely._

_As on cue, a light appeared. Just when he was so alone and miserable. A welcoming light, someone that liked him._

_Then he saw a familiar face in the small light, it was the spirit of Anna Goodwille II._

_"Anna?" he wailed, knowing he was hallucinating._

_"Yes, Lock?" the ghost asked._

_"Are you here?"_

_"Of course, but just in your dreams. Nera won't be able to hurt you now. I had sent a curse upon her until we come and rescue you. Then she will be in for it." Anna soothed, Lock just wanted to hear her speak, even though it was in his sleep. She brought enough comfort to make him feel safe, despite the fact that he was locked up in a prison cell._

_He could feel her hands, soft as silk gently stroking his pale, white forehead. He could hear her warm, reassuring voice telling him everything would be alright again._

_He closed his eyes, his body finally giving up the fight against the pain, and then he was out like a light. His breathing got slower and slower every minute who was passing on..._


End file.
